


She's Trouble

by Lollilox



Series: Do Your Research [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas Eve, Don't @ Me, F/F, I don't know why they always end up in a bathroom, Rekindled Romance, Unexpected Visitor, i just wanted to write pharmercy in the snow, mercy is just a workaholic but what else is new, pharah being suave and sexy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-04 15:13:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16349087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lollilox/pseuds/Lollilox
Summary: In the months leading into winter, Angela devotes herself to work to avoid running into Moira. Instead, she finds herself alone on Christmas eve, and runs into an old flame unexpectedly.





	She's Trouble

**Author's Note:**

> Henlo friends - this is not a Moicy episode but please stay tuned for more Moicy in the future.  
> Pharmercy fans, please enjoyyy!

It was surprising how fast weeks could fly by when one was consumed in work.  
Angela, more motivated than ever to work herself to within an inch of her life, had promptly stuffed the photograph of her embarrassing Halloween costume into the back of a drawer in her vanity, and gotten back on the horse the very next day.

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, until the snow began to fall, and co-workers began dropping like flies, all running off to warmer destinations, or to visit family over the holidays.  
For Angela, the snow had only become an inhibitor of her efficiency, causing the roads to clog up with snow and the AI to malfunction under the stress of cold temperatures. Day in and day out, Angela trudged into the office, wind kissed and red all over, shivering until it was past time to clock out and make the trip back home. Even at home, Angela had spent the majority of her time curled up on the couch with a tablet on her lap, running sequences and throwing herself into work to avoid any and all contact with the bizarre Doctor O'Deorain.  
On the eve of Christmas, Angela's work ethic had not stopped to take a break, either.

The lab had been so quiet that Angela had cause to believe she was the only living soul within three miles of the place. Eight o'clock at night and the place was dead; anyone who had come in for their regular shift in the morning had been well gone by five, leaving only the lone Doctor Ziegler to her habits.  
Angela sat in her chair, removing her lab goggles as she leaned back, squinting at the clock on the wall until it came into focus.  
She sighed, noticing her breath clouding on the air, finally coming out of her zoned out state to realize she could barely feel her fingers.  
_Late night again..._ Angela mused, flexing her fingers and rubbing her hands together to warm them up. She could feel her body protesting as she stood up from her spot in the chair. Her work had been saved, and there was plenty of time to resume where she'd left off in the morning. First, she had to tend to the mortal needs of her body, namely, warming up and finding something to eat.

Half past eight, and Doctor Ziegler had bundled up in a red wool coat, locked up the office, and began the trek home with her hands stuffed in her pockets.

Snow fell peacefully, drifting down onto empty streets, without even a cab nearby. Walking had become the easiest way to get to work - driving was a nightmare and hardly worth the trouble. By the time she'd gotten into her car and made it to the office, she could have walked there twice. So, Angela had taken up the strolling habit, despite protest by Brigitte.  
Lately, the apartment had been quiet. Brigitte had gone back to Sweden to visit her family for the holidays, leaving Angela with nothing but an empty home and some notes on the fridge to remind her to eat.

Unsurprisingly, everything on the way home was closed, including the prospect of food from a takeaway.  
Angela walked past the empty store-fronts, burying her face into the collar of her coat, dipping her gaze to her feet, looking down for the last couple blocks of the walk home.

Slowly approaching the apartment building, Angela rummaged in her replacement purse, attempting to find her keys with numb fingers.

"A little to the left."

The voice was unexpected, though not unfamiliar.

Angela's fingers closed around the key chain, and the blonde lifted her head to meet the voice of the unexpected companion.  
"Fareeha-" Angela murmured, sure that if she had any color left in her face, it would slowly be draining out. Exes usually didn't show up on her doorstep, and when they did, it was always trouble.  
"Angela." Fareeha replied, nonchalant, cutting off the doctor before she could say anything else. "I know you don't like surprises, but I was in the area."  
"You were in Zurich for Christmas?" Angela replied, not believing a word of the lies spewing from Fareeha's lips. "Skiing holiday?"  
"Working. Like you."  
Angela frowned, taking the keys to the lock on the door, doing her best not to stare at how good and full of life Fareeha looked. Her new life was certainly treating her well. Or, Angela had just forgotten how beautiful Fareeha truly was. Her skin seemed to glow against the snowy background, and her hair was dark as black ink on fresh, white paper.  
"How nice for you," Angela muttered, shoving the key in and turning it to the left. "And you wanted to come here to gloat? I don't have time for-"  
"No," Fareeha interrupted, "just to bring you a present."  
Brow furrowing, Angela watched as Fareeha reached into the large sling backpack resting at her side, and produced a long, rectangular box, decorated in golden wrapping paper that gleamed even in the depressing light of the apartment building's lobby. "I can't accept that."  
"It's Christmas, Angela." The beauty chastised sternly, forcing the package into Angela's hands. "You're allowed to have one present."  
"Not if it comes with stipulations," Angela replied frankly, handling the package delicately before attempting to slide it back into Fareeha's bag. "I don't want anything from you, Fareeha."  
"There's no stipulations," Fareeha argued monotonously. "It's just a gift. Would you take it already?"  
Angela used her hip to press the door open, and gazed over her shoulder at Fareeha. "I'm not going to make this mistake again."  
A beat of silence stretched between them, and Angela exhaled before shaking her head solemnly, making to enter the building without so much as a goodbye.

"Can I use your restroom?"

Hesitating, Angela paused, and allowed Fareeha to pass her before she entered the apartment, knowing good and well that it was a trap.

Up three flights of stairs, Angela opened the door to her apartment, and showed Fareeha to the communal bathroom, shedding the heavy wool coat to hang it in the hall closet, waiting by the bathroom door until Fareeha was finished.  
When the water in the bathtub had started drawing, Angela scowled at the back of the locked door, and her balled up fist pounded on it until the water had ceased running, and Fareeha had finally opened the door.  
Candlelight poured out of the dark bathroom, the smell of cinnamon and clove coaxing its way into Angela's memories, wrapping its arms around her like a warm hug. Among the bloom of yellow-orange light, Fareeha stood to the side, gesturing to the bubble bath that had been drawn, steaming and welcoming.  
"For you," she mused.  
Denying that she was freezing and in dire need of relaxation would have been a feat of strength that the run-down doctor did not possess. "Fine," Angela declared. "It's a nice thought. Thank you." The words, while polite, were delivered almost accusatory.  
Fareeha's lips cracked into a rare smile. "I still know you, Angela."  
Angela scowled, brushed past Fareeha and gave her a shove out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind her and locking it shut.

It would have been a lie to say that she hadn't enjoyed the bath.  
Knowing Fareeha was on the other side of the door had been a significant downer, however.

The history between the two was complicated and messy and almost always synonymous with disastrous. Like two north magnets, they repelled each other, no matter how many times they had attempted to smash them together. No matter how hard they worked, or how good things were for a while, it always ended in heartbreak.  
The good doctor, who was renowned for making things work, and making things and people better, did not adjust to failure well, especially when the flame in her heart for Fareeha flickered even in the darkest of times.

Trying to analyze their relationship was exhausting, to the point where Angela ended up with tears in her eyes and fistfuls of her hair in her hands. It never worked. So why did she keep trying?  
After a few years of their on again, off again relationship, Angela had drawn the line after Fareeha had failed to show up for an anniversary dinner. Three hours, Angela had waited in that restaurant. They had been fighting the day before, bickering about something stupid and irrelevant. Nasty things were said. Fareeha took off, leaving Angela behind with nothing but the dinner reservation and a fleeting hope that Fareeha would have been back by then.  
She hadn't shown up, and after those three humiliating hours of waiting in the restaurant, Angela had decided to call it.

Keepsakes and photographs were removed. Fareeha's clothing packed and shipped to her apartment. Every inch of the apartment had been deep cleaned, leaving no trace of the Egyptian woman, except the one photograph in the very bottom, most shameful part of Angela's purse. The only remaining piece of evidence that there had ever been a love as great as Fareeha Amari and Angela Ziegler - and it had been lost after Halloween, along with the rest of the contents of her purse, save for whatever the thief had unexpectedly returned via anonymous postage.  
When Angela had realized it was gone, it was almost as if a weight had been lifted, which had been quickly followed by an intense drop in her stomach as if she'd just lost something priceless.

Unsure of how long she'd spent in the bath, Angela emerged dazed and relaxed, wrapped in a warm towel, the blonde hairs on the nape of her neck wet and sticking to her damp skin.

It had been too much to hope that Fareeha would have shown herself out after the request for the bathroom.

From the chilly shadows of the hall, Fareeha emerged, tall and stoic, even out of her winter garb, now draped over the arm of the couch in the living room.  
She approached quietly, softly encroaching on Angela's personal space until the Doctor had been backed up against the door.  
Angela could see the flame flickering in Fareeha's dark eyes, unable to do anything but stare back under her gaze.  
"Merry Christmas, Angela," Fareeha whispered, extending a hand to cradle Angela's cheek in her palm, pulling her into a lustful kiss.


End file.
